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Want to give a new look to an old room? Need to change an existing room to serve a specific purpose? From choosing the right paint and tools, through painting and cleanup, this page shows six steps on How to Paint a Room like a pro.
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Step 1: Selecting Paint
- Choosing the right paint can make or break your project.
Select a Perfect Color
- When deciding on a color, ask yourself these questions.
- What is the room being used for?
- How will it coordinate with your furnishings in the room?
- What mood are you trying to set in the room?
- Red suggests a bold and exciting environment, but can also come off as aggressive. It also represents love, strength and passion.
- Orange suggests a cheerful and organized environment. It naturally relaxes and calms people.
- Yellow suggests brightness and mental clarity. While bringing warmth, it also gives a sense of caution.
- Green suggests balance, harmony and relaxation. It provides warmth and signals good health.
- Blue is the most popular color in the United States. It represents travel, trust and dependability.
- Purple suggests creativity, imagination and magic. It also suggests royalty and elegance.
- Black suggests power and sophistication. It can also reflect mystery and intrigue.
- White suggests innocence and purity. It enhances other colors and provides clean lines.
- Gray suggests intelligence without assertiveness. Its neutrality makes it complement any other color.
- Brown suggests warmth and family. It also brings a natural, outdoor feel.
- Red suggests a bold and exciting environment, but can also come off as aggressive. It also represents love, strength and passion.
- How will the color flow with adjacent rooms?
- How much sunlight does the room get?
How Much Paint?
- Do you need a quart or a gallon to paint your room? Check out these paint calculators to determine how much paint will cover your area.
- Paint Quality Institute: How much paint do you need?
- Easy2DIY: Interior Paint Calculator
Specialty Textures and Faux Finishes
- Looking for something out of the ordinary? There are several options other than the average finish. Check your local hardware store for more info on products for faux finishes.
- Color Washing enhances the base paint color by blending colored glazes over the paint.
- Dragging, or Graining simulates real wood by adding a second color of paint using a specialized brush.
- Marbleizing simulates the appearance of true marble, using plaster or several colors of glaze.
- Ragging simulates texture by applying glaze to the wall, then using a rag to remove some of the glaze.
- Sponge Painting simulates texture, using painting sponges to apply glaze to the wall.
- Venetian Plaster simulates depth and texture by adding plaster in thin layers.
Primer
- Primer is necessary when:
- Painting over unfinished drywall, wood or other previously unpainted surfaces
- Painting over stained areas or when changing from a very dark to a light color
- When painting darker colors, be sure to ask when purchasing the paint if a tinted primer is recommended. Grey primer is recommended for many deeper colors to obtain the desired finished product.
Step 2: Get Your Equipment
- You have decided on paint, now what? There are a few more tools we will need for this job.
Applicators
- Paint Brushes - Higher quality, more expensive brushes are the best choices as they hold paint better and will last longer. Look for brushes with split ends on the bristles, this is a sign of a higher quality brush.
- A two-inch angled brush, for cutting in, and a two-inch flat brush, for painting trim, are recommended.
- Natural brushes made from hog hair, can only be used with oil based paints
- Synthetic brushes made from nylon or polyester, can be used with oil or water based paints
- Roller Frame - a standard nine inch roller frame with handle
- If you are painting a ceiling, an extension pole for your roller makes things much easier.
- Roller Covers
- Synthetic covers, made of nylon or polyester, are best for latex paints
- Natural covers, made of mohair or sheepskin, are best for oil based paints
- Blended covers, made of polyester and wool, are great for all paints and the most durable
- The pile depth or nap, the thickness of the fuzzy layer of the roller, you want will depend on the texture of the surface you are painting. The smoother the surface, the the shorter the nap. Likewise the rougher the surface, the longer the nap.
- Paint Trays - a paint tray and a few disposable liners.
- For those on a tighter budget, aluminum foil can be used to line your paint tray.
- Paint Sprayer (optional)
- If you are planning to paint several areas, especially exteriors, you may consider purchasing a paint sprayer.
- Sprayers can cover more area in less time, however they do require a lot more preparation as they can be very messy.
Wall Finishing Tools
- Paint Scrapers are thick and used to remove old or flaking paint.
- Putty Knives are flexible and used for applying spackling compound to cracks or holes
- Spackling Compound
- Spackling compound is for plaster and drywall and generally dries white, to match the wall.
- Wood putty is better for wood and often comes in several colors, to match the particular wood.
- Many companies offer spackle that goes on one color, then turns white to show it is completely dry.
- Sandpaper - fine grit to smooth patched areas and rough up glossy areas so your new paint will adhere better
Masking and Safety Equipment
- Tape
- Blue painters tape is optimal as it has lower tack and can be removed up to two weeks after it is applied without damaging the surface below.
- For those on a tighter budget, regular masking tape will do just fine.
- Drop Cloths, Old Sheets and Rags
- Disposable plastic drop cloths or old sheets are a must to cover floors and furniture from splatters.
- Rags or paper towels are also necessary for cleaning up equipment and spills.
- Old newspapers can also be used for covering windows.
- Safety Equipment
- Safety glasses and rubber gloves are recommended to protect your eyes and hands from the chemicals in paint.
- If you plan to use a paint sprayer a dust mask or respirator is recommended so you do not inhale paint while spraying.
Remove Wallpaper (if necessary)
- Painting over wallpaper is not a great idea. Check your local hardware store for products and methods, such as scoring, soaking and steaming, to remove wallpaper and glue residue.
Scrape, Spackle and Sand
- Using a paint scraper, scrape any paint that is peeling or flaking off.
- Fill in any holes or cracks in the walls or ceiling using spackling compound and a putty knife. Allow to dry.
- Once the spackle is dry, sand your patched areas smooth so they will blend with the rest of the wall.
- Vacuum up all dust both on the floors and on the walls.
Wall Taping
- Using painters or masking tape, tape off:
- where the wall meets the ceiling
- all trim, including window moldings and baseboards
- adjoining walls
- anything else you do not want painted
Extra Precautions
- Paint sprayers put a lot of paint into the air, almost like a fog, so it is crucial to seal off the room you are painting.
- Using plastic drop cloths, securely tape the drop cloths over doorways, windows and flooring.
- Be sure to seal off absolutely everything that you do not want paint on.
- It is best to wear old clothing and shoes, as you too will probably end up covered in paint.
- Be sure to wear eye protection and a dusk mask to protect from the paint.
- Check with your paint sprayer and paint manufacturers to see if it is necessary to thin paint before spraying. Follow the manufacturers recommendations when thinning paint, using water for latex paint and mineral spirits for oil based paint.
- Be sure there is proper ventilation, and turn off any appliances in the area you are painting.
Spray
- Starting from top to bottom, spray the area with smooth even strokes.
- Hold the sprayer approximately ten inches from the wall.
- Make a single pass across the top of your section, then continue on to the next lower adjacent area, overlapping slightly.
- Continue until all areas are covered.
After the First Coat
- Allow to dry at least 3-4 hours and assess your work. Paint shrinks as it dries, so you may not be able to see lighter areas until the paint is completely dry.
- Apply a second coat if necessary.
- Typically, two coats are recommended for painting walls.
- If painting a dark color, reds especially, let the paint dry overnight before adding a second coat. Darker colors require more time for the final color to develop.
Step 6: Clean Up
- Happy with your work? Awesome! Just one more thing to do: clean.
- Clean Brushes and Roller Covers
- If using latex paint, rinse each with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. This may take a while, but is key to the longevity of your supplies. Remove as much excess water as you can and let air dry.
- Remove Tape
- Tape should be removed as soon as the adjacent area has dried. Leaving tape on too long may cause it to peel the underlying paint off.
- Clean your Paint Sprayer
- Before disassembling your sprayer, be sure to unplug it.
- Return any remaining paint in the reservoir to the paint can.
- Fill the reservoir with water if using latex paint or mineral spirits if using oil based paint.
- Plug your sprayer back in and spray into a sink or bucket until the water runs clear.
- Unplug and disassemble your sprayer according to the manufacturers instructions and wash all removed parts. Do not submerge the sprayer in water, gently wipe it clean with a wet rag or paper towel.
- Allow removed parts to air dry and again oil the sprayer according to the manufacturers instructions.
- Pick up and dispose of drop cloths.
- Replace outlet and light switch covers. Replace light fixtures.
- Re-install wall hangings and window coverings.
- Move furniture back into the area.
Clean-Up Tips
- Soak your tools in a sink or bucket of warm water for a few minutes before cleaning them. This will make clean-up faster and easier.
- If you plan to paint again soon with the same paint, simply place your brushes or roller covers in a zipper style plastic bag and place in the freezer. Before your next painting session, you will need to remove them, so they can thaw a couple of hours, but no need to wash them between each session.
- Several tools are available to assist in cleaning your equipment, check your local hardware store for more info.
